Miatatude

Back Home Again

The Emperor is back in the garage again tonight. The original theory of a timing issue because of the previous shop needing to get under the timing belt covers to change the Crank Position Sensor didn’t pan out. Turns out that sensor sits outside the cover so there would be no reason for them to be inside the cover.

Yesterday evening’s new theory was the fact that I was a quart low on oil so that the VVT was not working all the way and that would have caused the CEL, the slight hesitation and possibly the louder exhaust sounds. When they suggested this to me I tried, maybe not to successfully, to hide the incredulous expression on my face. Their plan for today was to test drive it before adding oil and then afterwards to see if that had any effect. I said, “Go for it.” I mean, what the heck, can’t hurt.

I didn’t get any phone calls today from the folks at AW, so on the way home today we stopped in. They had gotten busy and didn’t have a chance to get to my problem, so when I showed up Holley said let’s try it. He added a quart and off we went with him driving. They had cleared the CEL and I have to admit I felt no hesitation and maybe the exhaust note was a bit less. At the halfway point, we swapped places, and I drove it back to the shop. No light, no bogged down feeling, but still just a little louder than this old fogey would like at wide open throttle. Holley said, “Let me run a full bead all the way around that resonator and you can take the car home. The exit prescription was to change the oil and if the CEL comes back on, bring it back.

Started up, went down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 06/25/15: 163

Sitting In An ND II

ND <= NB

Now having had to spend big bucks twice to get the Emperor running in the last month, we thought maybe we should go check out the new Miata once more to see if this could be an option for the next time we have to pony up half the Kelly Blue Book of the car to get it running right again. Eight months ago we sat in a new one, with mixed feelings, but didn’t drive it because it was an automatic transmission. I understand why a lot of folks choose one, but for Donna and I a Miata has to be a row your own.

We arrived at the Gerald Jones Megaplex1 and made our way through the lot to the Mazda area. Parked near the street end of the lot somewhat close to a couple of Miatas they had near the entrance to lure in buyers. And because we didn’t get there until 11:00 AM or so there lots of potential customers wandering the lot with salesmen cruising around in golf carts trying to herd them into a cubicle in the showrooms. No one zeroed in on us so we walked over to the dark gray and the white/gray and I looked inside, both were automatics. We then made our way towards the buildings to find somebody to get a car to drive. During the 50 yard walk still no on approached.

Close to the showroom was a Miata in a shade of blue (called Reflex Blue that is really a medium gray with blue undertones.) I looked inside it and it was a stick. Donna said, “This is a pretty blue.” And comparing it to the two grays we saw already and the black Miata right across from this one, she was right, it was the nicest looking Miata we’d seen so far, but sort of in the way of it being the most attractive of Cinderella’s ugly step-sisters.

It was unlocked, so I opened the door and got in the driver’s seat, Donna got in the passenger seat and we tried it on for size. I pointed out the awkwardly placed cup holders. Explained the no glove box thing and opened the cubby between the seats to show the spot that is supposed to replace it. I unlatched the top and threw it back. Nice. We got out, walked around the car and changed seats. After another minute or two with still no salesman approaching, we headed into the showroom.

The gatekeeper asked us what we were looking for and I said a Miata to test drive. He send somebody off to find somebody else. Soon Wade appeared, after handshakes all around, I said I’d like to drive a Miata with a manual transmission. He started walking out towards the two Miatas near the lot entrance and after a few steps I stopped him, telling him they were autos. Wade turned back towards the showroom, so I pointed towards the blueish one we had sat in before, “Oh, that one is sold already.”2 Then he turned towards the black across the way, I had peeked inside that one too and it was another automatic, so I let him know.

He said wait here, and went inside to check their inventory. The only stick they had on the lot was the Club on the showroom floor and told him I wasn’t interested.3 “Well, we have two sport models coming that have manual transmissions, I’m not sure exactly when, but would you like me to let you know when they get here?” I said, “Sure,” so we traded business cards. After rereading our experience from last August again, this is the exact same thing the salesman told me then and I never heard from him.

We have now sat in the new ND Miata twice, but still have not driven one.

4 Years Later

McLeod Museum

We took a drive on Saturday to scout a route for a future MMC event, but we didn’t take the Miata, it was just a little too cold (and windy) for a convertible drive. The picture above is from the destination, the McLeod Farms Antique Museum.

It was even colder today. We got up this morning for our usual Sunday morning breakfast bike ride. Our first stop was downtown at the ATM because we didn’t have any cash and after were going to go another dozen miles or so before eating. The temps were in the upper 30s with the wind chill near freezing. We both felt uncomfortably cold in the 15° below normal, so after the ATM we just rode home and got in the car to drive for breakfast. Post breakfast we did the weekly grocery shopping and we have not been outside since.

This afternoon we sat glued to the couch watching the only golf tournament we ever watch, the Masters.

I have been seeing Dr. PCP twice a year forever for him to run my cholesterol numbers and I can’t believe it has been 4 years since I put up the numbers…Maybe because they looked pretty much like this latest batch of results, cholesterol & LDL within limits and my triglycerides too high with my HDL not high enough.

  Chol HDL LDL Trig
Goal 80-199 40-110 30-130 30-150
03/31/16 170 37 95 180
10/10/12 196 36 128 160
04/10/12 193 39 121 166
10/10/11 162 43 88 155
04/04/11 155 38 96 107
12/06/10 176 41 114 105
05/18/10 151 38 91 109
12/15/08 167 41 92 171
03/21/08 164 37 104 115
12/12/07 175 38 104 165
07/17/07 185 36 117 162
03/05/07 195 39 123 167
09/19/06 167 37 103 135
04/06/06 168 37 106 126
12/08/05 182 35 120 137
07/28/05 177 30 113 169
06/17/05 164 31 85 238
05/06/05 174 27 108 194
01/10/05 176 33 110 167
09/21/04 209 24 131 271

Article II, Section 1, Clause 6 of the Constitution1

In Case of the Removal of the Favored Car from the Garage, or of its Death, Sale, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Garage, the Same shall devolve on the 2nd Favored Car, and the Household may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Sale or Inability, both of the Favored and 2nd Favored, declaring what Vehicle shall then act as Favored, and such Vehicle shall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or a New Favored Car shall be purchased.

I have had a business card for a local place called Wayne’s Automotive in my wallet for like 15-20 years. A co-worker had given it to me way back when her sister got the job as the dispatcher for the towing portion of the business. She was giving them out to everybody she talked to, so I took one just to be polite. A few years later when I got a new wallet I transferred the card. At the next new wallet the card moved again right along with everything else, I had became superstitious about it. I just knew that if I discarded it, I’d need it the very next day. And it was a good thing I still had it.

Yesterday on the way home, about 1-1/2 miles from work, while accelerating through 3rd gear, the acceleration just stopped happening, the check engine light illuminated, followed by the battery light and because we were on a slight uphill slope the Emperor slowed to a graceful stop along the side of the road. No sturm und drang, the engine just quit like somebody flicked a switch.

I reached into the little compartment behind my driver’s license, slid out the dog-eared card and called Wayne’s for a tow truck. We originally were going to have it towed home, but during the wait we changed our minds in consideration of my very limited mechanical knowledge and abilities. Decided to have it taken to their garage portion of the business instead.

As we stood watching the Emperor being winched onto the back of a flatbed, a different co-worker pulled over to see what was happening. He offered to drive Donna home so she could swear in the Sonata as Favored Car and come get me at Wayne’s.

Started down, went up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 06/25/15: 158

1. We had to cite Article II, Section 1, Clause 6 of the Constitution in elevating the Purple Whale’s status because South Carolina is one of only three states that never ratified the 25th Amendment.

The Company You Keep

Company

Years of soakings of oil and fork lift traffic have really taken their toll making the main traffic areas in the Turned Parts department very rough and the whole department dark and slippery. This past week a contractor came in and is floating some sort of epoxy / concrete hybrid mix down about a 1/4 inch thick and following up with a two-step epoxy paint job in light gray. A couple years ago they did a section at a different end of the department before we added some fancy new fangled CNC machines and it looked fantastic, still does, so they are working their way north throughout the whole shop.

We moved some of our machines around and even shipped a few down to Mexico to create about 5000′ square feet of floor that is being upgraded. Trouble is the main entrance to our cube farm is smack in the middle of the area, so since Tuesday we have had to walk out a service door in the back of the plant to get into a side door of the office area. The only down side for me has been that bathroom breaks now take a bit of forethought because what used to be a 30 second walk is now about 2 minutes long.

Where we park the Emperor (or Purple Whale) is in the far corner of the parking lot from the front door and is normally vacant except for us. This week we’ve had company out there because as it turns out our corner of the parking lot is at one end of the hypotenuse of a scalene triangle with the other end being the door to our offices. In other words the shortest distance between parking lot & office chair for my department members is Donna and my normally quiet corner of the parking lot. Hence the crowd.

The final coat of paint goes on the floor on Sunday, so by Monday morning we should be back to having our corner of the lot to ourselves.

Where is my NB love Mr. Blipshift?

Just might be coming to the internet soon…

A couple weeks ago I sent in a rebuttal of sorts to the then latest Blipshift T-shirt, well today, I received this in my email inbox:

Thanks for your blipshift submission. We read your idea loud and clear, and we think it has great potential (plus we agree, it’s time for an NB design)!

It’s pretty typical for us to go back and forth with the idea to either modify it or suggest further tweaks, and we will be working with our talented artists community and in-house pit crew to transform this idea into a blip-tastic design. For this one we’ll probably start by reaching out to the artist of the original NA shirt. Once a finalized design has been made, we will get some more details from you, and can get it scheduled for printing. Then when people ask you, “Whose awesome idea was that?” you can say, “Mine!”

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

Cheers!
Daniel
-team blipshift

Looks like I’ll be adding a new Blipshift Miata shirt to my T collection. Maybe a hoodie too. Oh, and a poster. I hope Santa leaves me some money in my stocking.

No NB Love

Today’s Blipshift T-shirt is another Miata design. NAlware, which is kind of a pun in a few ways. I’m sure of the first because of the always allow pop-ups tag line and the NA Miata headlights. Malware and pop up windows on the internet. Maybe a stretch, but ware = wear, a t-shirt with an NA on it.

pop_up_detail_grande

I’m going to pass on this one though, if I still owned a blue 1st gen car I’d be all over it. Maybe buy more than one, wear a hoodie over a short sleeve version….but I’ve got enough Miata themed shirts from them and all of them are of the 1st gen car. All their shirts have been of NA’s except one and that was a 3rd generation (NC) car.

Blipshift is always asking for design ideas or artist submissions, so I felt that this last NA design needed a response, so I submitted a version of my latest internet avatar.

Pop-up Blocker Detail Grande

Where is my NB love Mr. Blipshift?